Tasting Reviews

Lawson’s Dry Hills ‘Ranu’ 2017

Wednesday 13 December 2017

Lawson’s Dry Hills is one of the stalwart wine producers of Marlborough. Established by Ross and Barbara Lawson who planted their first vineyard in 1980, they launched their own label in 1992. The Lawson’s Dry Hills wines have proven to be classical expressions......read more

Central Otago ‘Discovery’ Tasting

Friday 24 November 2017

As a prelude to the Central Otago Pinot Noir Spring Release Tasting, where 70 Pinot Noirs from the 2016, 2015 and 2014 vintages were served, guest attendees were offered a selection of wines as a ‘Discovery’ tasting, exploring facets of the region from different vintages......read more

New Zealand Riesling Challenge Wines – A Re-Look

Friday 17 November 2017

In 2010, one dozen winemakers participated in the inaugural New Zealand Riesling Challenge, stemming from the ideas of Neil Charles-Jones wishing to investigate if the fruit of one vineyard would show the winemakers’ influence on the varietal expression......read more

Thorn-Clarke 2017 White and 2016 Red Releases

Wednesday 8 November 2017

Thorn-Clarke is a proud 6th generation Barossa grapegrower with 270 hectares of vineyard in some of the most southern and northern sites in the region. They have the grape varieties planted accordingly, the whites in the cooler Eden Valley, and reds in the Barossa Valley......read more

Yves Cuilleron - Rhone Icon in Wellington

Monday 6 November 2017

It was a privilege to have iconic Rhone winegrower Yves Cuilleron in Wellington presenting a range of his wines, mainly new releases to keen wine enthusiasts at Glengarry, who are his New Zealand distributors. He is a third generation vigneron......read more

Jacob’s Creek ‘Le Petit Rosé’ 2017

Monday 23 October 2017

This is a new wine for Jacob’s Creek in Australia to fulfil the growing rosé category. It is inspired by the winemaking style of the rosé wines of Provence in southern France. Winemaker Trina Smith says that “with the popularity [of the rosé class] has come a greater appreciation......read more

Brancott Estate has released a pair of limited edition wines under the ‘Reflection’ nomenclature to mark the collaboration between Brancott Estate and the New York-based design-focussed Dror Studio, founded by Dror Benshetrit......read more

Coopers Creek – A Hawke’s Bay Selection

Monday 9 October 2017

Simon Nunns is Coopers Creek’s winemaker, taking over from Kim Crawford in 1998, and is a major factor in the company’s success. Simon is a highly respected wine judge, and his experience no doubt gives him the insights and perspectives to develop the wines styles......read more

Saint Clair ‘Pioneer Block 9 – Big John’ Riesling 2012, 2009 and 2007

Monday 2 October 2017

The Saint Clair team have a very strong relationship with their growers. There is an aspiration for them to become growers for the ‘Pioneer Block’ range of wines, as this identifies their vineyards as producing fruit that result in wines of high quality and individual style......read more

Greywacke Wild Sauvignon 2015 – 2009 and Chardonnay 2014 – 2009

Tuesday 26 September 2017

To any wine enthusiast, it would have come as no surprise that Kevin Judd would succeed with his own label after leaving Cloudy Bay following 25 years of making ground breaking wines. In 2009, Kevin and his wife Kimberley launched ‘Greywacke'......read more